Someone once commented that “Heavenly Kings don’t age the same as us mere mortals”… It’s safe to assume that every concert-goer who have seen Jacky Cheung (张学友) perform live in person would agree whole-heartedly with that statement.
On Friday (11th August), the Hong Kong superstar kick-started the first of his 6 shows here in Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil. At 62 years old, Jacky Cheung proves that age is, really, just a number. From sounding pitch perfect and busting every move, to doing the perfect split – here are some of the reasons why he’s still the reigning King of Cantopop royalty after witnessing his “60+ Concert Tour”:
Starting Right On Time
It’s a given that most concerts never start on time. The typical waiting time usually takes between 30 minutes to an hour (Muse’s concert started 1.5 hours late). At 8pm sharp, the lights in Axiata Arena dimmed to signal Jacky’s ascend to the stage where he performed “留住这时光”, “Oh La La”, and “马路英雄”.
A Strong Live Orchestra & Ballet Dancers
Led by Singaporean music director Goh Kheng Long, the 56-year-old recently opened about managing an ensemble orchestra which includes strings, brass instruments and a harp, as well as 4 backup singers – Marcus Lee, David Tan, Cherelle Tan and Carmen Ang. “I have never worked on a world tour where all musicians move together from city to city. To me, this is a huge surprise, both musically and logistically. And so far, the team spirit is burning bright,” the concert music director said.
Unlike Jacky’s “A Classic Tour” stop in 2018, where a spectacular four-sided stage was build in the middle that allowed audience from every direction to see him, this set-up was a mounted platform with a four-storey structure housing all the orchestra performers. It was an impressive feat when the singer introduced each and every member by name.
Nonetheless, the “60+ Concert Tour” had a ton of production value, showcasing a vintage car, a retro cabaret backdrop for “Double Trouble”, and video projections during “Waiting Till My Heart Aches” (featuring Taiwanese actress Shu Qi) as well as a montage of himself at different ages in “Another Ten Years” – the latter number was tear-jerker.
Looking Oh-So-Sexy In Skintight Leather Pants
As aforementioned, Jacky Cheung is still very much Oh La La at 60+. This man took us by surprise in the best way when he emerged onstage with a black skintight leather pants, oozing sex appeal. If you’re about to see him live, glue your eyes on those hips gurl.
He Does The Perfect Split
“In the past, I didn’t feel I was old, but as I aged, it became a strange feeling. I hope to prove that age does not represent what you can (or cannot) do… Do you think I can do a split?” Jacky was quoted as saying, before sliding into a perfect front split.
Those Heavenly Vocals
While Jacky may have opted to showcase more of his lesser known songs (which means more Cantonese compared to Mandarin numbers), fans will still be able to enjoy familiar chart-toppers such as “Three Days Two Nights”, “Love Is Eternal”, “Breaking Up On Rainy Days” and “Forever With You”. We’ve said before and we’ll repeat it again – whether he’s singing an uptempo song or an emotional ballad, Jacky pours every ounce of his emotions into each note.
